Best Dog Potty

Mike loves his new home. His family is wonderful, his bed is cozy, and the kids play with him all the time. The apartment is big enough so that there’s plenty of room to run around. Downstairs, there’s just enough grass between the walkways for a pup to do his business, but not much else. Overall, his new home is awesome as far as Mike is concerned.

Unfortunately for the little rascal, things change. Time has brought the school year back around, and the children aren’t at home so often. He still had the company of their father, at least until today. A business meeting took the fella and his hat away from home- and away from Mike.

The morning has gone by fast for him, and he’s been trying to avoid his mischievous desires like digging in the trash or chewing on the dinosaur toy the kids left in the hallway again. But these are so difficult to resist, especially for such a young pup whose teeth are first starting to come in. The plastic toy loses a valiant battle against Mike and his fearsome puppy jaws.

Lunch time has come and gone, and poor Mike is beginning to worry. He would usually get fed by now, but no one has come home. He’s beginning to think that they’ve forgotten him. A little anxiety has begun to surface, and though he tries to reassure himself that they’ll be back, a feeling has begun to fill his belly. Lunch can be missed, but there’s one need that should always be remembered- at least if you want your pup to be housetrained.

Mike rushes to the door, but it’s locked and his little paws aren’t going to be working the doorknob any time soon. He scratches and claws at the door, fighting the urge that is worsening in his belly. He whines and begs for someone to open the door, but no one does. It’s really amazing that such a young rascal has held on for so long, but it is to no avail.

Mike knows what he did wasn’t right, but when your bladder is so tiny and your body hasn’t fully developed, you just can’t wait all day.

For those living in the urban districts, apartments that sit high above the street can make it a little difficult for your pup to hop on outside to take care of business. Potty training your pup for an apartment has its own difficulties, especially when you can’t just open the door and let your pup wander outside until the job is done.

For most folks, who live in an apartment, purchasing a grass litter box for their pup is going to be the best help you can offer your pup. It offers your pup easy and quick access, and is particularly helpful if you’re at work all day, or even disabled and would have to navigate stairs every time that rascal needs to potty (which for young pups can be just about every hour).

Setting aside a particular place for potty usage in your home is important and should be separate from eating and sleeping areas. A crate will be helpful for the first few months of training, teaching them the difference between the two areas. Choose an area where you can clean up any tracking, such as a bathroom or laundry room that have linoleum or hard flooring.

With their potty area separated from other areas, it’s time to teach them to use it. Using a command phrase or word, such as “potty time!” helps them associate using their potty with your approval. This is helpful all around, and helps prevent them from thinking it’s okay to use your carpet instead.

Timing is going to be everything. Regularly let your pup have access to their potty, such as right after eating or playtime you will need to take them to the area and let them stay there until they do their business. Keep an eye on your pup, especially during the first few months. Watch for sniffing, circling, and squatting so that you can prevent them from accidents before it happens. Prevention is the best way to train any pup, rather than wait for them to do the deed and punish once it’s done.

Just in case of accident, you’ll need to keep odor eaters handy. If and when you discover accidents, even if they’re just outside of their potty area, clean them up quickly to prevent future mistakes. Remember to be patient with your pup as it will take time to get them adjusted to their new home, no matter where it is.

We can’t spend every waking moment with our pups, even if we wanted to. Proper training and preparations are necessary to help your pup cope with being alone. So, in order to help the process along, there are tools that may prove helpful. Knowledge, of course, is your primary tool, but there are other devices and products that should help ease training and bring comfort to your pup during alone time.

A pup’s personal space

The crate is going to be one of the best tools for preparing your pup to be alone. While it may seem like locking your pup in a cage is mean, it doesn’t have to be. The crate can either be a “time-out” spot where they feel they are forced to go, or it can be a sanctuary for them that offers security. How you treat the crate will affect how your pup responds to it. Introducing your pup to it slowly, a little time spent in it during the day, will help your pup adjust to being alone.

Toys and treats

Here’s where toys and treats will be useful. The good old rawhide chew toy never gets old, so if your pup is in the cage, it is important that they aren’t lonely. Tossing in a few of their favorite toys and a few treats will keep them busy while they’re spending their time alone.

There are unstuffed toys available for pup’s to play with, some with squeakers that can drive you a little crazy while you’re home. But since you won’t be there, it’ll probably be a great activity for your pup.

Some toys, referred to as stuffed Kongs, can have a treat inserted into them, creating an experience in which your pup has to remain active to get at the goods. After a while, your pup may even begin to expect these toys and treats when it’s time for you to leave, making the separation a positive experience rather than an unsettling one.

While crates are useful, some may even prefer to have a separate puppy room that is designated for your favorite companion. A comfortable bed and even their own grass litter box will provide them with the necessities to enjoy their time alone, and later, perhaps even become a little more self-dependent.

Remember that these tools are there to help you prepare your pup to be alone, helping them to adjust and learn that you aren’t always there, but you will always be back.

Deagle the basset hound

The trouble with Deagle is his inability to potty in the right place. Ever since he was a pup, he’s always pees on the carpet. What makes it worse is that it’s not an accident. I let him out when potty time comes around, he goes outside and barks at the neighbors for about thirty minutes, but never stops to pee or poop. When I call him back in, he comes a romping, his floppy ears and droopy eyes making him so adorable. Then, all that cuteness disappears when he sniffs, circles, and squats to mess the carpet.

I guess it’s partly my fault. When he was a pup, I used newspaper for his potty area. He was used to going on the floor inside the house. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to break him of the habit, and now my carpet pays dearly for it.

I scold him when he does it, but he just finds another place in the house if he can’t go then and there. It doesn’t seem to do much good trying to stop him from peeing inside. At least when he poops, it’s usually on the kitchen floor. I’ve just about bought stock in some of the odor-eater companies, purchasing a can at least once a week. I figured maybe the smell was attracting him to do this, but it seemed more a habit than a stimulus.

I got to looking o line for some new solutions to my problem, and found several recommendations for indoor litter boxes for dogs. I figured since the old hound was going to keep going inside, I might as well let him do it where it won’t damage the carpet or make a mess. When I first got it, Deagle didn’t know what to make of it. He sniffed it and barked at it for a few minutes before hopping on and marking it. I crossed my fingers and hoped it would work.

After a few mess-free days, I was actually quite pleased. Deagle seemed to actually like the device, it may have been some kind of incentive or maybe even the texture of the grass, but whatever it was worked, and quite frankly, that’s all that matters to me.